Page 51 of Silk and Sirens

My cock twitched.

Fuck.

“Caden, you need to be more careful. You know who she is, how easily she can⁠—”

“What did you do?” I asked calmly, continuing to play.

“Excuse me?”

“Penance for your past,” I repeated slowly. “So, what the fuck did you do?”

“Language,” Dad hissed, stepping in beside me. “Look, she came to me, said she was interested in moving money. I didn’t know she was recording⁠—”

The piano keys screamed as I slammed my hands down.

“Dad!”

“It was a long time ago,” he said finally, dragging a hand down his face. “A mistake.”

I turned to him slowly. “A mistake?”

“This was before you and Sebastian had any reputation.” His voice hardened, defensive. “I didn’t have a choice. I was still building a name and couldn’t turn down a job. Your grandfather had burned through everything, every last penny, and what I had myself had always gone to taking care of your mother. That job paid our mortgage, Caden.”

“What did you do?” I demanded.

His nostrils flared, tension pulling tight across his face. “I moved money. That’s it. I made sure it couldn’t be traced. Cleaned it. Hired who I was told to hire and paid who I was told to pay.”

A pause.

“I had nothing to do with what came after.”

My stomach twisted. “What came after?”

His jaw locked. “Aeris and her sister,” he said, quieter now. “They were taken while walking home from school.”

Taken.

Ice settled heavily on my chest.

“Was she hurt?” I asked, my voice strained.

Dad blinked. “What? How would I⁠—”

“Was she hurt?” I repeated, sharper this time. The mere idea of a young, innocent Aeris being taken sent pure rage vibrating through my blood.

“I don’t know the full details,” he admitted. “The girls were taken as leverage. Picked up on their way to school and held until the ransom was paid. It was meant to force their father’s hand.”

“But he didn’t give in,” I said, the pieces falling into place.

Dad met my gaze, something uneasy flickering there. “Apparently not.”

“What happened to her sister?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t even know it was Aeris, not until she confronted me in my office.”

I let out a slow breath, my hands curling into fists at my sides. Shit. Using my father to get to us was one thing, but revenge turned this into something far more dangerous.

“You’re lucky,” I said quietly, the calm in my voice forced. “She has a habit of killing men she doesn’t like.”